CHEETAH CHROME INTERVIEW

                                        L-R: Syl Sylvain, Cheetah Chrome



I recently exchanged emails with legendary punk guitarist Cheetah Chrome. His comments follow these reviews of his latest recordings.


Batusis
"s/t" (Smog Veil)

The countless bands to stalk and stagger in the New York Dolls' and Dead Boys' wake have, most often,
focused on capturing similar swerve/edge/growl. And some have pulled it off quite handily.

But what many have missed -- what the originals had and what the Batusis give out in full-throated abundance -- is the joyfulness of the outsider, the swinging, careening fun that matched fury step for step.

Meaning, that deep in the marrow of this bombastic assault against all-that-snores is a happiness-for the -
hell-of-it, foot-stomping, grinning exuberance that exalts the serial wiseass rock'n'roll beyond mere dime-a -dozen social disrupter to the higher status of self-signifier: We're here, and we're as valid as any a-youse!"

The four smoking, jet-train to a carbonated hell-of-delights cuts here include Davie Allen's "Blues' Theme;" a rollicking, swaying, party called "What You Lack In Brains" (which Syl sings, offering what Creem once called a "sailor-on-shore-leave whistle" recalling the Dolls); the crunchy and menacing "Bury You Alive"
(sinister vocals by Cheetah); and the instrumental "Big Cat Stomp," in which guitars are loosed from leashes. They gallop and sideswipe in glorious mettallic distemper.


Rocket From the Tomb
"I Sell Soul" / "Romeo and Juliet" (Smog Veil)

New wax from RFtT, a reassembled pre-Dead Boys/Pere Ubu Cleveland band. "Soul" is the more alive of this single's tracks, rousing in a way the more lethargic "Romeo" isn't. Guitars (by both Cheetah and ex -Television Richard Lloyd) merit regard, charging as they do without regard for public safety. And David Thomas's cultivatedly eccentric vocals -- a stylized moan-chant -- lend unmistakeable distinction.

The Batusis and RFtT recordings are available from: http://www.smogveil.com/, http://www.hearpen.com/

Rocket From the Tombs VIDEOS:

"I Sell Soul"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D_6fTUk
"Romeo and Juliet"
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v=1_fmnYORAyU


THE CHEETAH CHROME INTERVIEW:

1) The head-chopping guitar method you exercised with the Dead Boys endures -- savage, exciting, raw, swerving, intense. (Indeed, we heard it on "Alive In Detroit") And it can be heard on the new Batusis disc. "Big Cat Stomp" really lets it off the chain! Are you satisfied with the latest recordings?

I probably like the EP more than anything else I’ve recorded; I love the sound of it, and the feel. Usually there’s something that bugs me, just some little thing that no one else even notices, but there ain’t one on this! Ken Coomer and Charlie Brocco deserve a lot of props, they really did a great job.

2) You co-wrote 3 of the Batusi disc's 4 tracks, and both cuts on the Rocket From the Tombs vinyl. (I've done some checking back, and found you did a good deal of writing on the first Dead Boys LP, as well as 3 of the 10 songs on the 2nd DBs LP.Oh, and 11 of "Alive's" 12 tracks.) Do you have a particular writing modus operandi? If so, please describe it.

Usually I just will be playing, not even trying to write, and I’ll play a riff and say “Hmmm……what was THAT?” and I’ll go back and work with it. But I’ve written music while looking at a set of lyrics on a piece of paper, and while sitting around with RFTT when we thought we were tapped out and came up with one of our best riffs ever. I guess it all boils down to picking up the guitar in the first place – best way to start! But for the most part they just sort of appear, out of the ether.

3) Tell readers some about your and Syl's accompanists in the Batusis.

Well, Thommy Price I’ve known for years, we played in different bands together in the CBGB scene. We both played on Ronnie Spector’s first solo album. We’re good friends and we like to play together, that simple. I ran into him and the other Blackhearts (Enzo and Dougie) at LaGuardia Airport on the way home form a gig, and he suggested that the Blackhearts back me up at some NYC shows. We did several of those, and when it came time to do the EP he and Enzo were the first guys I thought of for the rhythm section. I love the Blackhearts; they’re one of the best bands out there. Dougie Needles is a monster on guitar.

Since those guys are Joan’s band, we had to find some replacements for them in order to tour, and I don’t think we chose too badly. We have Lez Warner, formerly of the Cult, on drums; I had met Lez in Las Vegas a couple of years ago and we got on well, and I kept him in mind for future projects. When the drum stool opened up, he was the first guy I called.


On bass we have Sean Koos, a former Blackheart, who came highly recommended by Thommy and Enzo, which is all the recommendation I need! We’ve only been able to play together a couple of times, but he’s working out great.

4) What guitars amps do you use? Same in the studio as live?

You want me to bore you with that? Sure!! I have a couple of Gibson SG’s and a Les Paul BFG that I use live, usually through a Line6 Flextone III 2x12 with a Bassman extension cabinet. I’ve replaced the Celestion speakers in the Flextone with Eminence Redcoats, and put the Celestions in the Bassman.That’s the rig I use live for most part, though sometimes I just rent a Marshall halfstack if it’s going to be easier.


In the studio I use a Marshall MG15ms, the Zakk Wylde model, usually with my Gothic SG. For some stuff I use a Danelectro I have, which is too fragile to use live.

5) Future plans?

Touring, then recording, then touring, then recording. In between I’ll be out promoting my autobiography, which hits stores 9/15. Then probably some more touring or recording....




end

CD review: Judge Jackson

"Drive" (Curtis Joe)

When a red-rimmed buddy turns up on your doorstep, a shameless party you'd once sworn would never end erupts, anew. Action guitars at the fore, a muscular rock'n'roll attack team in the spirit of Velvet Revolver and GNR howls. There is much joy to be had kicking out all jams. Let the almighty, experience-centering riff be your guide in a tilted land of crunch and exultation.

http://www.judgejackson.net/.

THE GEORGE DUBOSE INTERVIEW

Photographer George Dubose executed several classic Ramones LP covers, including "Too Tough To Die," "Brain Drain," and "Mondo Bizarro." He recently published a collection of beautiful b/w and color photos of the band, plus his own invaluable first-hand recollections of the photo shoots and what it was like working with punk's first band.

George now lives in Germany. See his email at the interview's conclusion, to order his fantastic book!

1) I see you began in photography around '77 (or was it earlier?) and that among your pre-Ramones subjects were Lydia Lunch and Kid Creole and the Coconuts. Were they good to work with? Any other early subjects/credits you'd care to mention?

I moved to NYC to apprentice myself to fashion photographers to gain training to be a portrait photographer, a la Yousef Karsch. I was invited to see the B52s at Max's Kansas City and fell in love with the band's music from the first two bars. They played "Planet Claire" the music of which was "The Peter Gunn Theme" from my childhood's exposure to that television show.

Funny enough, Lydia Lunch and Teenage Jesus and the Jerks was the opening act that night at Max's and I didn't care for them at all. I didn't understand what punk rock was at that time.

I asked the B's to come to the studio where I was an apprentice, for a photo shoot that I wanted to present to Andy Warhol's magazine "Interview". Unfortunately, Cindy Wilson had returned to Athens, GA, so Maureen the manager stood in for her in the photo. Interview published the photo and licensed it to a Japanese magazine called "Studio Voice".

The next time I got the B's to come to "my" studio, the band was complete and I printed 1000 16 x 20 B&W posters, gave half to the band and sniped some of the rest to advertise the band's upcoming gigs. The posters, however, were stolen as fast as I could tape them up (I didn't know about wheat paste). I started selling the posters for 52 cents each or two for a dollar.

Two years later, I was contacted by Tony Wright from Island Records and asked to show my collection of the band photos I had from concerts and in the photo studio. I didn't know that the band had already decided on one photo from the second studio shoot.

Tony asked me to sepia tone the B&W photo and the he cut film overlays to colorized their clothing.

Tony hated the group and used the pseudonym "Sue Absurd" as the art director's name.

2) You did a number of cool covers for the Ramones. Any one particular favorite?

Roberta Bayley's first cover photo was how they really were, Too Tough to Die is how the band saw themselves and Mondo Bizarro is how I saw them...

3) Quoted in the introduction, Daniel Rey called you "one of the few people allowed access to recording sessions, rehearsals, video and other 'insider' events" related to the Ramones. Any story not in your book you'd like to share?

Funny Daniel Rey mentions this. I once had a creative meeting for the cover of "Brain Drain". The band didn't want a photo this time, so we contacted Matt Mahurin and bought an image from a painting by him, the back cover was a video still from the video "Lobotomy". While I was at the recording studio, Bill Laswell was producing this LP and wouldn't allow anyone in the control room AT ALL. Not even the band.

I was "upstairs" in a lounge area shooting billiards with Monte Melnick, the tour manager and I looked through a window down into the large recording room and I saw someone playing bass that wasn't Dee Dee. I asked Monte who was that and he said it was "just Daniel Rey adding a bass track". About an hour later, I looked through the window and saw Daniel playing guitar. Again, I asked Monte what was going and he pulled down the window shade and said, "You've seen enough!"

Daniel Rey is a great musician, producer and guitarist. I studied guitar myself for years and always thought that Johnny could have been easily replaced in the group. Little did I know he was the leader and owned the name "Ramones".

A lot of musicians contributed to Ramones albums without credit. Joey's brother, Mickey Leigh was a classic example...

4) You write that you had the best personal relationship with Joey. Was he individually creative? Could he have had a rewarding solo career?

I saw Joey performing with other musicians several times. I thought that Joey always performed 50s and 60s rock'n'roll covers superbly. I often told him that he should just do a solo album of covers. He never got around to it, unfortunately.

5) I know different jobs require different equipment. Do you have a favorite camera? If so, what do you value about it, in terms of what you can do with it?

To me, the camera is a tool, I am not emotionally attached to any camera. I like to work in a square format with a Hasselblad, but no one is willing to pay film costs in these digital daze. Making a great photo is different than taking a great photo, you can take a photo with any camera, making a photo is the idea. Sometimes the cheapest cameras take the coolest shots.

6) What's Germany like? How long have been living there?

I am not living here for the weather. It wasn't a great career move. I have a beautiful German wife and two great little boys I am raising with American spirit.

I don't want to rag on Germans or any other Europeans, but I am not a socialist. The tax situation in Europe is really bad, up to 22% sales tax is some countries. The price of gasoline is absurd. I remind the Europeans that Americans started a war over taxes...anyone remember the Boston Tea Party?

7) In ending the text section, you write "They quit, I haven't." What're you doing, these days? (Still doing photo work?)

I am doing some of the best work of my career, Kukoo da Baggabonz's "Da Grustler" is one of my best ever covers. I have worked with the Traceelords on several packages and do shoots for hip hop and rock magazines. I am working on a series of books that tell the stories and show the outtakes from shoots I did throughout my career.

I have a lot of exhibits all around Europe and have a lot of photo sales in Norway.

8) Any new photographic styles/approaches you're trying, these days?

I only experiment when I have a job. Some of my best shots have been accidents. Throughout my career I have always adapted my approach, the location or environment, even the choice of film according to the needs of my subject. I don't do landscapes, baby or dog photos. Photography is not my hobby, it is my job.

9) Where should interested fans go to purchase your book?

At the present time, I have two books of my work that I have released. These two are part of the series, "I Speak Music". The first is "I Speak Music - Ramones" and the second is "I Speak Music - hip hop - Old School Volume One". There will be 5-6 hip hop books in chronological order, then there will be more rock books beginning with the jazz artists that I shot before I discovered new wave and the B-52s.

I print my books "on demand". The printer charges a small fortune for single books or runs of 100, so I have to ask for 30 bucks plus shipping per copy. You CAN buy the Ramones book on Amazon, but by the time I get my 10 bucks and the printer makes a markup and Amazon makes a markup, the book is over 50 bucks.

Buying directly from me is cheaper and I can sign the book to the buyer or a friend.
Contact me at boss@george-dubose.com, check my website at www.george-dubose.com.
I sell fine art prints from any of the images on my website or in my books. Thanks for reading this. Hey ho, let's go!!!